


Something Just Like This

by Might_suck_but_thats_ok, TheDarkGale



Category: Original Work, own work - Fandom
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bullying, Chris is a dick, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gale can't swim, Homophobic Language, Jade has a dick piercing, Jade's family is adopted, M/M, Mood Swings, Protective Jade, Shyness, Smut, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 03:22:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10982316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Might_suck_but_thats_ok/pseuds/Might_suck_but_thats_ok, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDarkGale/pseuds/TheDarkGale
Summary: Hello everyone ^-^ This is an original work, by me and my friend! Suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome, and sorry if " don't respond to comments. I don't know how to use this website very well o.O This chapter is written by Might_suck_but_thats_ok, who writes Jade's point of view so we will be alternating chapters. Updates will hopefully be once a week, but we all know life happens. Happy reading!





	1. Jade

If you lived with four younger siblings, you would understand why I am the way I am. If the first thing you wake up to is screaming, don't get mad when satan walks out of my room in a non too happy mood. And if said satan somehow walks into the middle of a food fight in the dining room, you better fucking run. Because that is _exactly_ what happened. My younger sisters, Ariel and Khloe, stared in shock at their older brothers, eyes flickering between the three of them. With a glare to my brothers that promised death when I got home, I stomped back upstairs to strip and to wash up for the second time that morning. This was the first day of school of my senior year as well. Fan-fucking-tastic.  
  
Rinsing the milk and the few pieces of cereal out of my black hair in the sink, I sighed, tired already. The first few days of school were always unimportant. Teachers would go over their syllabus and you would chat with your friends the entire day. There was no real work on the first day of school, but every once in a you'd get that teacher that just has to be a satanist, and you end up writing college essays on the first week of school in their class. That's why I had to do last year in Mr.Olivers class and lets just say I made his life miserable. Because if I'm going to be miserable, then he might as well feel the same way. This year, if a teacher tried to give me work, I will leave the damn class and go home because that is just bullshit.

I dried my hair quickly before pulling it back into a messy ponytail before striping my clothes and putting on my new outfit. Ripped black jeans with a camo tank top, which showed off my muscles, and I kept the turtle necklace my biological mom had given me around my neck. Walking back downstairs, I heard a car honk in front of the house, and I rushed downstairs to grab my backpack before towing Calvin and Brody out of the house. Mom shouted goodbye from the kitchen and just as I opened the front door I heard Kye shout, "Jade hurry your ass up or we're all going to be late!" Kye had made a deal with me that if he gave me and my brothers a ride, I would do all of his major essays in his English class, which was a good deal for me. It was either that or ride the bus or walk  and there was no way in hell I was going to do those last two options. Kye seemed to notice my foul mood because his exasperated face quickly turned his lips into a wide grin.  
  
"Fuck off." I growled, slamming the passenger door shut, while my brothers scrambled inside as well. His friend laughed. "I didn't even say anything."  
  
"You didn't have to, I know exactly what you were thinking." Without another word, I turned on the radio as we sat in tense silence.  “Why didn’t you skip school today?” Kye asked, genuinely surprised to see me going to school. “Mom wouldn’t let me. She threatened to ground me if I did this year.” I shifted my body in agitation. Grounding meant no kickboxing, which was a part of my daily life. Take that out and everything else falls apart. “So, Calvin, you excited about starting highschool?” Kye asked, looking up in the rearview mirror to stare at my youngest brother. “Kinda. Brody and Jade said they’d look after me, and I know you will too.” Calvin said with a nervous smile. Kye nodded. “Well just stay away from Chris’s bitc-, I mean buddies, and you’ll be fine.” Ugh. Chris. Don’t even get me started on him. Quarterback on the football team, a complete homophobe, and not to mention a lot of people thought he was attractive, but he was just downright ugly, always looking down on everyone with his big humped nose, and his cheeks were constantly flushed with anger. Chris was disgusting. He tried to pick on Brody when he was a freshmen because he was adopted and new to school, but I made sure that didn’t happen again. And hopefully it doesn’t happen to Calvin, because I wasn’t going to hold back the way I did when Chris licked on Brody. Brody could take care himself, but Calvin… he’s been through shit and I knew he wouldn’t be able to handle that type of harassment.

  
A few minutes later we parked in the student parking lot, shared a “why-did-summer-have-end” moan, before heading to the front doors to find out where our homeroom was. Students crowded the hallway as friends talked to each other for the first time in months. “I’m gonna go help Calvin find his class so I’ll see you later! Maybe we’ll have the same art class!” Brody called to me, shouting over the noise. I nodded and with a huff I shoved my way through the crowd, not bothering to be polite. Papers were posted on the wall; organized by grade level, then by last name. A minute after searching, I found my name: Jaden Loss, Rm 402.

 Home room was boring. None of my friends were in there which was disappointing, but I’d live. A half hour passed and we were released to go to our next class. I left with my schedule in hand, and went to first period which happened to be English 4 first, followed by, I would have enjoyed English if I didn’t have Ms.Pidgeon, and the only other class I knew I would actually like was Art 1. And no, I didn’t have Brody in my art class, which doubly sucked.  

 You want to know what’s worse than having a teacher for a satanist? The goddamn devil, who just so happened to be my English teacher. She was so serious about her class rules and order of conduct, that it was almost comedic. _Almost._ I already knew I was going to get on her bad side. I can’t take serious seriously. Army drill sergeants, jail inmates (which had been a fun field trip)...  All the things that I was supposed to be scared of, it didn’t phase me. I was lacking in that regard. After English was Economics, which was followed by Calculus, Physics, Art 1, Library Aide, then my last two class periods were free, so I could go do whatever two hours before school ended.

 The day went by fast, and soon enough the bell rang, and I met up with Kye and our group in the flooded hallway before going into the cafeteria to ensure that the table we’ve sat at for the past 3 years was still ours. Our table was in the back, away from the chaotic lunch lines and by the large windows, sitting in the natural light. I sat down with Kye, Seong-Jin, and Derek, the only friends that I hung out with and out of school. Brody’s friend group was nice too, but they weren’t as… We had all gone to the same middle school, except for Derek, who I had met my sophomore year. Seong-Jin had moved from Korea when he was just a baby, so he doesn’t know that much of his native language. I watched everyone pour into the cafeteria, searching for my two brothers, and that’s when I saw him.

 He was pretty, almost in an illegal sort of way, and I couldn’t ignore the fact that I found him attractive. He was pale with freckles crowning his upper cheek and nose, sun kisses is what my mom calls them. He had light blue eyes that reminded me of a cloudless sky, and his hair was light brown and long (not as long as mine), and it framed his face perfectly. I could tell he was nervous and overwhelmed by all the people and noise because his eyes were wide and his stride quickened.

 “...ade, Jade!” Kye shouted, waving a hand in front of my face.

 “What?” I snapped back, forcing myself to look away from the boy. “Stop eye fucking the new kid.” Kye said with a smirk. I turned my face away with a scowl, trying to hide the blush that slowly crept up my face. Kye poked my cheeks and grinned when I just pushed his hand away. I turned my attention back to the new kid, and watched as he walked hurriedly out of the cafeteria, eyes on the door. I mumbled something about going to get to get something out of my locker, which I didn’t have one and the group knew it, but he didn’t say anything. Why I was following the new guy, I didn’t really know. I was mainly curious about him, but I couldn’t deny it. He _was_ cute, which intrigued me. I’ve never meet someone with his features before, and I wanted to know what his family was like… Genetics and what not. Where he came from, _why_ he was that cute.  A few steps down the hall and I knew where he was headed: the library. There were only so many places you were allowed to eat outside of the cafeteria. I waited a few minutes, not wanting to look like a creep, (which I knew that’s what I looked like). When I thought enough time had passed, I pushed the door open and walked into the silent room, only a few low voices reached my ears as I looked around, searching for him. My eyes scanned the faces as I walked back, and they snapped to him as I accidentally bypassed him.

 He was sitting at one of the tables in the back, reading and eating at the same time, but did so carefully as he flipped the pages with one hand. His eyes never left the page. “You’re the new kid right?” I asked as I walked up to him, abandoning the sudden shyness that tried to come over me. What the hell was wrong with me?

 He looked up from his book, and I felt my heart stutter as his eyes met my briefly before darting away, biting the inside of his cheek nervously as he nodded. “I’m Jade by the way.”

 “I know.” He said, shaking his head slightly as he dropped out of his daydream. “I- what?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. His light blue eyes widened as he realized what that sounded like. “I-I mean, you’re in my calculus and physics class.” Oh, that’s right. How did I manage to forget that? “That’s right. You sit by Laurel. You know she has a crush on you right?” The new kid started to stutter and it was really cute to see him so flustered. “I w-what, uh, why d-does she-?” He couldn’t even finish the sentence. I shrugged, making it seem like I was indifferent about the situation. “She’s a girl, and she thinks you’re hot.” _And I don’t blame her_ , I added to myself quietly.

 “So, where did you move from?” I asked, changing the conversation. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.

 “Central Michigan. A small town called Midland.” His response was immediate, as if he had been saying the same thing all day.

 “Hm, never heard of it. What’s it like?”

 “Almost empty, with a house about every mile. The snow there is fantastic...” He said with a fond smile, eyes taking on a dreamy look.

 “Well, it snows here too and you should see the streams in the forest when they freeze over. Some of them you can even ice skate on.” I told him with a smile almost similar to Gale’s. At some point, Gale had closed the book he was reading, and I couldn’t help but grin a little wider. “You know, you can come sit with me and my friends during lunch if you want.” I said suddenly, changing the subject for the second time in a row. He shook his head. ”I don’t mean to sound rude or anything, but do you have any friends?”  

 “There’s this one kid called Brody, but he’s a junior.”

 “Wait… what’s his last name?”

 “Um, Loss. Why?” Holy crap.

 “That’s my brother!” I exclaimed with a laugh, jealously corroding my insides.

 “Really? You two don’t look alike.” He said surprised, tilting his head to the side a little in thought. “Me and all of my siblings are adopted.” I informed him. Brody had blonde hair and blue eyes, while I had black hair and jaded green eyes, hence why I wa named Jade. Calvin could have been Brody’s biological brother, because he also had the same blonde hair but his eyes were gray. “Oh! I-I’m sorry I didn’t mean-.”

 “It’s fine.” I cut him off with a shrug. “Everyone knows.”

 “Well, I didn’t.” The blue eyed boy spoke softly.

 “Well now you do.”

 The bell rang then, loud and annoying, releasing everyone to go to their next class. I closed my eyes, holding in a heavy, exasperated sigh. I had wanted to talk to him a bit longer. “Well, I gotta go, but I’ll see you tomorrow in class.” I told him while he closed his book, Brothers Grimm, and threw his trash away. He just nodded, mumbled a goodbye, and left the library, leaving me standing awkwardly before Kye and Seong-Jin found me. They pelted me with questions, but I didn’t answer them because I didn’t know if I should. We didn’t talk about anything worth mentioning, but it was my observations that I didn’t want to share. Like the way he was obviously shy but ignored it to talk to me. How he was so engrossed in his book in the beginning but ignored it to pay attention to what I was saying.

 As soon as 6th period was over, I went to the gym. My instructor, Shawn, greeted me with a slap on the back as I walked into the cool building. “So, did you find a cute boy that caught your eye yet?” He asked as I started to head into the locker room to undress. “Seriously?? It's only the first day of school!” I said, dodging the question. I came here to relax, _not_ to be reminded of the fact I may be developing something I shouldn’t.

 Shawn was like a dad to me. He took me under his wing in middle school when I was getting bullied at school, and ever since I did my stretch routine, before actually starting to kickbox. I practiced my jabs and kicks, pounding away mercilessly at the bag with precision and power. A few more people showed up while I was practicing, but I paid them no mind. Shawn taught me a few new moves which were pretty difficult, but I managed to get them down by the end of the night. They weren’t perfect, but I’d make them good enough to satisfy me.

 Several hours later, as it rolled around 9 p.m, I was home. Mom had ordered pizza and was already in bed, probably all worn out from having to deal with Ariel and Khloe. I took a few pizza slices out of the fridge and heated it in the microwave. I ate my food as I walked back upstairs to take a nice, long, hot shower. Jinx meowed pitifully, looking up at me with her pale golden eyes when I stepped into my bedroom. “Did you miss me?” I asked, stooping down to pick her up. She purred in reply as I ran my hair down her white body and multi colored head and tail. When my parents took me in during foster care, I had been 12 years old. I used to have a cat with my old family, and it bothered me that I didn’t have one when I was taken from C.P.S. So the first thing mom did was buy me a kitten of my choice and I chose Jinx. I’m her only favorite member, and anyone else that tried to show her affection, she hisses at them, and it made love her even more.

 I put the cat on my bed before I grabbed some clean clothes to wear to bed before heading to the bathroom. As soon as I was done, I dried my hair, got dressed, brushed my teeth, and went back to the room, slipping underneath the cold covers on my bed. I close my eyes for several minutes and as time passed I groaned in frustration, changing sleeping positions, but was unable to go to sleep. I turned on some music, Too Young To Die, by Panic At The Disco, and started to relax, letting myself drown in the words.

 _I've never so adored you_  
_I'm twisting allegories now_  
_I want to complicate you_ _  
_ Don't let me do this to myself

 I didn’t even know the guy’s name for crying out loud? That’s like, like, socializing 101. Shake hands and tell each other your name. I would just have to ask him tomorrow. I would like to be his friend, and maybe even be a bit more but… I can't develop feelings for a straight guy. I can't because that's the fucking worst… but I can't get those freckles out of my mind and his simple, smile. And I couldn’t ignore the fact that I had been jealous of my younger brother, for meeting him before I did.

 _Fixation or psychosis?_  
_Devoted to neurosis now_  
_Endless romantic stories_ _  
You never could control me_

 _Well I never really thought that you'd come tonight_  
_When the crown hangs heavy on either side_  
_Give me one last kiss while we're far too young to die._

Jinx snuggled up in the curve of my stomach, curled on top of my comforter, and I slid an arm out to rest on top of her. And then in a matter of minutes I was asleep with some blue eyes on my mind.


	2. Gale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alright, looks like its my turn for a Chapter, in which we discover an amazing pair of Thighs, and find a very funny mom.

Slightly saddened by the amount of work it took for me to keep up with my new classes syllabi, 

I slumped into my room and onto the twin sized bed. “Current Status: Ughhhhhhhhh.” Rolling over on my small mattress, I rested my chin on a small stuffed gorilla. I was rudely interrupted from my self pity by a shrill, “Status! Status status status!” squawked Renji from across the room. The Grey Parrot ruffled his feathers, and gave me a triumphant look. “Well, aren’t you a salty little bird.” I wagged my finger at him, then let out a groan and put my face into Mr. Gorilla again (names are difficult). “I need friends” I muttered into his soft fur. Pulling out my cracked phone, I focused blearily on the glowing green rectangle. Jabbing at it, I pulled up my messenger and texted the only name on the list. 

 

“Broooooooooooooooooody” I typed out, with all the confidence of a one year old walking. Texting is hella hard, okay? Especially when it’s the first time talking to someone. What If he ignores me, or ends up thinking I’m boring?

 

“Gale, y do u stretch my name out?” came the (almost) immediate reply.

 

“Why don’t you use correct words?” I fired back as fast as I could, which sadly wasn’t as fast as I wish it was. 

 

“Lol, whatevs. Wyd?” 

 

Glaring at the screen, I tapped out “I am looking for meaningful conversation, where both parties exchange words of an appropriate and equal caliber, so that the two individuals can both feel that they have fulfilled the need bred into the human race for socializing”

 

“...um? Dude, half of those words sound fake” 

 

Ignoring the cretin who obviously didn’t understand the nuances of having a large and complicated vocabulary (hey, reading all those books has to be good for something) I slid off my bed, taking half of the blankets with me. Shedding them, I announced to the mostly empty room, “I am arisen!” 

 

Somehow, I don’t think the loaded-down bookshelves appreciated my act. 

 

Padding over to the cage that held my pet, I opened the latch and with a familiar gesture, lifted my finger to the bird. Letting out a cackle, Renji stepped onto my outstretched hand, hopping his way up to my shoulder. Biting my ear in what I hope was an affectionate way, I pat him on the head and padded my way to the kitchen. A rather small trip in the apartment, but hey, gotta look on the bright side. Wincing at the combination of cold tiles and the damn parrot digging his talons in too tight, I tugged open the fridge. Glancing half-heartedly at the contents, and then at my stomach, I was convinced that the last thing I needed was food. Hey, two days is nothing, right? Moving to the counter, I grabbed some crackers and smeared a bit of peanut butter on each one. Setting the crackers on my shoulder next to Renji, the bird primly nibbled at the first one, seeming to make sure that he spread the crumbs as far as possible. Sighing, I looked back to my phone for entertainment. 

 

“I met your brother today”

 

Merely typing those words out brought a smile to my lips. Wow. Now there was a guy they write romance books about. I’ve read about hair like silk, but I thought it was an expression. Jades looked like the sky on a starless night, and it just made his eyes look like the stone he was named after. “I’m not sure if that’s his real name,” I remarked to Renji, who responded by slapping me with his beak. Outraged, I grabbed at the stupid bird but he launched himself forwards, gliding towards the couch. “MISERABLE FEATHER DUSTER!” I shouted at him, inadvertently spilling the crackers off of my shoulders. Frustrated, I shook my phone at the bird, then read what was on the screen. 

 

“Rly? u mean Jade, right? Didnt kno he talked to ppl like you”

 

I could feel my face drop. It felt heavier that stone. “Um...what do you mean? He seemed fine.”

Waiting for a response, I grabbed a glass from the cupboard above the sink and filled it up. Taking a sip, I had to calm my trembling hands. Angry now, I glared at the ceiling, where chipped drywall reflected the light with a sickly glow. How many times would I do this? Mistake pity for friendship, and become attached as all hell? Nobody's liked me for years, moving to Ohio wouldn’t make a difference. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

And as stupid as it was...I still held my phone. Held out, hoping against hope, that the next text sent my way would be something along the lines of ‘Well, you must be special’. Setting myself up for disappointment once again, I snapped my eyes to Brody's response...Well I would have, if I had gotten one. He is busy, or I’m just really boring. Most likely the second one.

 

Behind me, the door creaked open and my mother walked in. Standing at about 6-foot, she was an intimidating woman to almost everyone; big shoulders, black hair, with a ruddy complexion and eyes that seemed to challenge the world. Knowing her, she would probably win. But luckily for me, I was her son, and entitled to her “At home” self: slouching, and wanting nothing more than food and sweatpants. Breezing past me, she hung up her keys on a small knob attached to the fridge. “How was your day, honey?” she called out, making her way to her bedroom. 

 

“It was ok, I guess” I shouted after her retreating form, picking up the crackers Renji had spilled.

 

“I was talking to the bird.”

 

Taking a deep breath, I calmly gripped my phone, and tossed it at the wall. Ok, maybe “tossed” isn’t the way to describe it. “Too much sass, woman.” I mumbled. Prepared to leave the poor device on the rug (it knew this treatment well), A vibration halted me. Sighing, I picked the glowing rectangle one more time, already ready for Brody's response. 

 

“U must b somthin special for him to talk to u lol.”

 

Freezing, I struggled for a second to comprehend what I had just read. Unable to come up with a response, I placed the phone on the counter and sat down. Hard. Staring at my knees, a small giggle escaped my lips. Feeling a weight suddenly drop on my head, along with sharp pricks, I reached up and grabbed Renji. Putting him on my shoulder once more, I looked into his yellow eye and giggled again, this time a bit louder. “I’m special.” I informed the bird. Seeming to digest this information, Renji nibbled on my ear and flew off to my bedroom. “I’M SPECIAL!” I yelled after him. “Yelling this time of night, you’d have to be.” My mother noted from her room, already changed into her sweats. “Wanna get to bed? I’ve got work tomorrow, and with the noise you seem to be making lately, I don’t think I’d get any rest.”

 

Running up to my mom, I hugged her, still giggling, and tore off for my room. Making a flying jump onto my bed, I grabbed Mr. Gorilla and gave him a quick hug, needing some way to express how I felt. Renji ruffled his feathers at my antics, and hid his head under his greyish plumage, the small hint of red on his tail the only indicator that he wasn’t just part of the lumpy grey drywall behind him. The occasional giggle escaping me, I undressed and climbed into bed, pulling up the blankets that rested on the floor. Rolling myself up, I placed Mr. Gorilla under my head and let out a happy sigh. “Think Jade will talk to me tomorrow? What will I say? What should I wear? Will he think I’m weird?” With thoughts running around my head faster than Renji could fly, I reluctantly surrendered to sleep, excited for the day ahead

…

 

“Hmm...Cap’n, amount of clothes is dangerously low. I suggest restocking!” Mr. Gorilla informed me. Nodding, I stroked my chin. “We will have to inform the Admiral as soon as possible. Having poorly fitting shields can affect our performance for sure!” 

“Do you think personifying a stuffed gorilla will really convince me to buy you new clothes?” My mother raised an eyebrow at me. As nonchalantly as possible, I used a finger to  nod Mr. Gorilla's head. “Well, unfortunately, the budget for ‘shielding’ has been drastically reduced. You’ll just have to wear your normal jeans.” Whining, (yes, very mature I know) I told her “But my jeans are super tight! Its like, skin tight!” 

 

“Then girls will pay more attention to you. It’s a win-win. For me, anyway.” Sipping her coffee, Mom stood up and wagged a finger at me. “Now go get dressed, so I can take you to school.” 

 

Plodding away from the empty table (no time for breakfast!), I made my way to my room and pulled out my black jeans. Glaring at them, I tentatively slipped a leg in, then the other. Five minutes later, after winning the battle of buttoning them, I ran to the door, complaining to my mother, who was already halfway outside. “I look like I have tree trunks for legs!” I gestured at the jeans, the pockets inaccessible because they were so tight. “How can you say I don’t need new clothes?” 

 

Frowning at me, she walked briskly to the stairs with me in tow. “You specifically asked for that size. I remember you  _ wanting _ them to be tight.” “But that was before I had legs this big!” I agonized. Sighing, she shook her head. “You’re overreacting, now go plant your tree trunks in the car while I grab the mail.” Grumbling, I turned left onto the stairwell and made my way down.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nice jeans Gale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fuck decided not updating while i was grounded was ok? thanks for ruining the schedule. its not might suck, you definetly suck

#  Chapter Three

Gale was already sitting in his seat in Physics, and I noticed that the seat next to him was already taken. The boy, Carl, was trying to talk to him and it was obvious that the freckled boy didn’t want his attention. Walking over with my messenger bag slung over my shoulder, I fixed a cold glare at Carl, silently telling him to get the fuck up out of his seat. He quickly got up, avoiding my gaze, and went to go find another place to sit. Kye sat down next to me, snorting at my behavior, before texting the group about what had just happened. “Why did you do that?” Gale asked quietly, looking at me briefly with his sky blue eyes. I shrugged. “He seemed like he was bothering you so I took care of it.”  _ Lies,  _ but at least I told him most of the truth. I just left out the jealousy part. “Well um, thank you.” His cheeks turned a little pink and I turned my face away, grinning. If he blushed just a little deeper, it would have looked perfect with his freckles. Just then the stupid bell rang and the teacher walked in, and handed out a worksheet. It was stuff reviewing what we had all learned last year in Chemistry. It should have been easy but science has never been my strong suit. Except for earth and space science, anything star related was easy to learn. But memorizing all the different cells or ions or the goddamn periodic table was just too much. 

 

About half an hour later, Gale stood up and walked to the front of the room to turn in his work, and I  _ had  _ to look. “Fuck.” I said aloud, and Kye started to laugh his ass off as he watched my face turn red from embarrassment.  _ Shit shit shit!  _ Did I just said that out loud?? But like, seriously, was Gale  _ trying  _ to fucking kill me? His pants were tight, hugging his legs and his ass, and he noticed a few of the other girls were checking him out too. With a glum look, I slouched in my seat, twirling my pencil in my hands. I just need to breath. I wanted to scream so badly. Gale returned back to my seat, looked at me in confusion before sitting back down beside me. 

 

I could barely look over at the new kid, trying to get my bearings together, and thankfully the bell rang some time later. Gale went back to the library, and I frowned as I watched him go. I knew it would take time till he joined our group but still. I didn’t want to be patient. Derek and Seong-Jin were already at the table when me and Kye showed up. I had just sat down and taken a few bites out of peanut butter jelly sandwich when I heard someone call my name. “Hey Jade, baby!” A voice called behind me, and my food froze halfway to my mouth. Ugh, I did  _ not _ want to deal with her right now. Britney has been after my dick ever since ninth grade even though she knew I was gay. Not bisexual, just 100% thirsty for dick. My friends chuckled as I put my sandwich back onto my plate, watching the blonde haired girl saunter up to our table. “Guys! Help me!” I hissed at them, but Seong-Jin just punched my arm playfully, a sly glint in his brown eyes. “Tell her how  _ lovely  _ she is Jade.” She stood in front of me with confidence she really shouldn’t really have. I don’t know  _ how  _ many times I’ve rejected her, and now it was getting ridiculous. “So, Jade, 

 

“ _ Beuliteuni, neoneun naega mannan gajang chuaghago jagi jungsimjeog-in amkae jung hanaida _ .” I said, making sure the offending words sounded sexy, and I even added a low purr into my voice, giving her a sweet smile. She nodded, thinking that what I had just said was some sort of compliment. “I was wondering if you would like to go somewhere tonight with me? Like, to dinner or something.” She asked, and I looked back at my friends. “Actually, we’re goin’ somewhere tonight so I won’t be able to. I’m sorry.” Not. Sorry. At all. She gave a little huff and nodded in understanding, not realizing that she had been rejected again. She turned around without another word but winked as if it would make heart fucking stutter. 

 

“So, what did Jade say?” Derek and Kye asked their Korean friend as soon as the girl was out of earshot. “Brittney, you are one of the ugliest and most self centered bitches I have ever met.” Seong-Jin replied with a proud grin. They all laughed while I bit into my food angrily.

 

“You’re getting really good at speaking Korean, heck, you kinda look like it except for your eye color.” Their Korean friend said, not paying my attitude any attention. 

 

“Were you serious about going somewhere tonight or were you just jerking around?” Derek asked with a raised eyebrow. I tilted my head in thought before nodding. “Definitely serious. She’ll probably ask around if I don’t actually do something.” There was a bunch of head nodding before someone spoke up. 

 

“IHop?” Kye asked hopefully and we all nodded. 

 

“IHop.” I confirmed. 

…

 

After that, lunch ended rather quickly, so me and Derek headed off to our art class, which was never a dull hour of the day. About 30 minutes into class, no one was whispering, and everyone was either talking to loudly, or they were on their phones. I was working on a butterfly tattoo, made out of water, flying out of the ocean, it’s wing tip dripping with sunset colors as the sun rose in the background. This was by far one of favorite drawings. 

 

“Hey Jade, you ready for all the freshmen girls to scream and have their nose bleed when you go to model for them?" Derek said with smirk and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. “I dunno, once they realize they won’t be able to get with me their ideas and disgusting fantasies will go away.” I replied. Derek smiled, his dimples showing as he put his pencil down, leaning back in his chair. “You don’t  _ actually  _ believe that do you? That would just make it all the better. Jade, the hot badass that everyone loves, practically unattainable. Girls go crazy for that shit. Brittany's proof of that. “Hm, you know who else girls are going bat shit crazy for?

 

"Derek... you should get Gale to model." I said suddenly, looking up from my drawing to see him blink at me slowly. "You want me to ask Gale… if he would be an art model?" He said, drawing his words out. "Uhh yeah, why do you sound so surprised? The girls would eat him up." My best friend stared at me a second longer before throwing his head back and laughed. “Sure, sure. You keep telling yourself that green eyes.”

 

I frowned at that little nickname. “Keep calling me that and I’ll let the girls know about that little incident that happened in the boys locker room last year.” 

 

Derek’s eyes widened in mock fear. “You wouldn’t.”

 

“You’re right. I would tell them what happened at the waterpark, and show them the pictures to prove it.” 

 

“You need to stop with the blackmailing. Just because we don’t have any on you doesn’t mean you’re safe.”

 

I snorted. “Yeah good luck with that.” And with that I turned my attention back to whatever the hell I was supposed to be drawing, and worked. 

 

… 

 

Several hours after school ended, Kye drove us all to my house so I could take a quick shower after my kick boxing session at the gym. I made sure my shower was quick and thorough, and slipped the clothes I had worn earlier: dark gray sweats and a maroon tank top that said, “I stopped listening when you opened your mouth.” I took one look at my hair in the mirror, and decided I did not want to take my time fixing it like usual. So instead, I grabbed a couple of bobby pins and set to work, arranging my bangs so they wouldn’t get in my face. A knock came from outside the door, which was quickly followed with Derek’s voice. “Hurry up Princess! I need to piss before we go.” 

 

“I must have stood outside in the sun too long because I could have sworn you called me Princess.” I called back, opening the door to let him in. “Maybe, maybe not. You’ll never know.” He replied with a wink before closing the bathroom door. Once Derek rejoined the group, we all went back into Key’s car and headed over to IHop (we all had a soft spot for breakfast food). Kye, being the river, got to choose the music, so he connected his phone to the aux cord, selected the song, and turned the volume up. Chained to the Rhythm by Katy Perry, was soon blasting into our ears. In milliseconds he had us singing. 

 

We followed the waitress to the table, Rachel, and asked us if we would be ordering the usual. That’s how often we come here. Most of the employees here knew what we ordered because we ordered the same thing. I usually got chocolate milk and one of those big combos. I had a soft spot for pancakes. 

 

The bell rang on the door and I looked up from my phone to see Gale walk through the door, and he was still wearing those tight ass pants. He was with a taller, older women, who I could only assume was his mom or older sister. As I observed them, I realized that Gale was different. He wasn’t his usual shy self at school. He was smiling at whatever the women had said, and his company let out a genuine laugh. He was carefree. Those light blue eyes were no longer guarded, and I knew if he caught me staring those walls would go right back up, so I turned around, but kept an eye on him from the corner of my eye.

 

“Kye, switch seats with me.” I said suddenly, realizing that Gale would be able to see me from where he was sitting, and I didn’t want that (not trying to sound creepy or anything).

 

“What, why?” He exclaimed when I started to push him out of his seat, not bothering to answer his question. Satisfied, I grabbed my drink and took a sip, enjoying the rich flavor. 

 

“You’re pathetic.” He said underneath his breath, sending me a fake glare.

 

“Says the one who can’t win a fight.” I shot right back with a smirk. The waitress came back then with our food, looking at us in confusion when she noticed that some of us had switched, but she didn’t say anything about it. We ate our food, telling more about the crazy things we did this past summer, leaving out all of the boring stuff. No matter how funny the story was, I couldn’t distract myself. Not when he was here. Maybe I shouldn’t have moved, but I couldn't _ not _ do it. I mean, he’s  _ laughing  _ for fucks sake. I haven’t seen him laugh at school, and suddenly I want to know how she’s doing it. How he’s laughing and I want to know how to make him laugh. I smile down at my plate of food, turning my attention back to my friends. He’s fucked me up in more ways than one. He’s constantly on my mind, which is insane since I’ve only talked to him  _ once,  _ and have only known the guy for three god forsaken days. And yet here I am with this insane crush. 

 

Amor fati.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> idek. stuff? im so tired. bluh. oh yeah, funny pun kinda not really! also, kinda based off of real experience, and ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm idk. am i the only one reading this? can i give myself hits?
> 
> hit this story more daddy ;)  
> whoring myself out for story. very nice.

Yawning and rubbing at my eyes, I focused on the sea of text rippling in front of me, a stark black and white contrast to the green table that I was sitting at. “Too early to be reading” I remarked to Renji, before I realized I was at school, and bereft of my companion. Shrugging, I continued to read the strange book, barely comprehending the words it contained. Something about  appearing weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak…? This author must have a screw loose. Cocking my head at the ring of the bell, I stuck a long grey feather on the page I had been reading, and closed the confounding text. “Hopefully, the author of this “The Art of War” will get a different attitude about his battles. I would much prefer a ‘sun’-ny disposition. And no, I don’t regret that pun” I once again commented to my absent parrot. Shaking my head, I slipped the book into my bookbag (very inventive name, isn't it?) and made my way out of the library, heavy oak doors closing behind me with a soft click. Sighing as the smell of hastily applied cologne and unwashed socks replaced the clean smell of paper, I slowly made my way towards first period. 

 

“Why is everyone so tall…” I muttered to myself as I was pushed aside by yet  _ another _ Football player. Glancing slightly down, I blushed and quickly made my way into my Home Ec class. They may be rude, but man, the things squats did...Feeling my cheeks grow warm again, I plopped all my stuff down on my desk. My partner, Brittney, gave me a weird look and turned back to her very important activity: Doing her nails. For a moment, I could have sworn she was looking at...um... _ private _ parts of me. Taking out my tattered composition book and trying to not think about Brittney’s weird...thing, I started filling out the warm up that sat on the whiteboard at the front of the class, just underneath the date. Surprisingly, it had been Monday for 3 days now According to the board. “What is your perfect date…?” I muttered under my breath, chewing on the pencil I kept in my notebook. Leaning down, I filled in:

 

“Probably a guy with long hair, can be polite...maybe he has flowers?” Satisfied, I blew my hair up from my face. Tapping my chin, I considered a haircut...But what If I got cold? What if they messed up, and I was completely bald! Distracted by thoughts of baldness, I noticed Brittney lean over and read my entry. Curious, I watched as her face seemed to convulse, and she looked at me with hooded eyes.

 

“Hey, um...Gale, right?” At my nod, she continued “I think you made a typo here. You wrote ‘a guy’...” Confused, I looked down at the page and nodded. “Um...what’s wrong with that?” I asked, concerned that I had made some mistake that I couldn’t see. Tone seeming to prod at me, she glared this time. “Didn’t you mean to say a  ‘girl’?”

 

Still confused, I replied, “No…” Shock flashed across her face, and she scooted away from me. Looking down at the entry, I looked back up to see the blonde grabbing her stuff and moving desks. Honestly confused, I was speechless. Looking down at my hands, which were trembling slightly, I closed my notebook quietly. I’d been made fun of a few times for...liking…guys, but I’d never gotten a reaction like that before. “I can’t believe people like that still exist.” I muttered to myself, eyes starting to water now that I was thinking the situation.

 

What kind of person judges someone on such a small difference? I am human, and I have emotions. 

 

Does liking guys make me that bad?

 

Pushing the familiar doubts aside, I braced myself and sat up straight. I wouldn’t let that...that...that butt ruin my day! The heavy-set teacher walked in, sat herself upon the stool in front of the class with a wheeze, and started droning on about permission sheets. My teacher had introduced herself, but this woman had actually bored me out of my mind, and I couldn’t even remember what letter it started with, much less what It actually was. Doodling in the corner of my notebook, my eyes were drawn again to the warm up. With a few swirls of my pen and markers, i drew a blonde stick figure. Chuckling evilly, I drew the figures midsection as a huge blob, and wrote “Butt” next to it, with an arrow drawn to the face. 

 

“Ahem” a little cough came somewhere in front of me.  

 

Looking up (and up and up and up...man, this woman is huge!) I finally met the gaze of my teacher, staring at me atop a heap of flowery print. “What an ugly dress” I thought to myself, even as she started leaning down to look at my paper. Wondering what the problem was, my gaze drifted to her blonde hair...fuck. She’s blonde. My eyes darted to my doodle in the corner of my paper, and she followed my line of sight. Nostrils flaring, she picked up my paper and leaned in close, her breath smelling of mothballs. “I don’t take kindly to disrespect in my class, honey.” The sickly sweet scent of her perfume, combined with that gods awful breath, nearly knocked me out. “S-sorry ma’am.” I stuttered out, lowering my head to avoid the smell rather than to show how disgusted i was. A quiet chorus of giggles rang out from the back of my class, and I didn’t even have to look to know it was Brittany. Call it a sixth sense...or that there were only about 7 kids in this class. Ok, maybe I didn’t  _ know  _ it was Brittany, but Iḿ like 90% sure, and that's good enough. As the teacher plodded back to her stool, I put my head down on the desk and sighed. This day can’t get any worse, right?

 

…

 

Mrs. Monarch, pacing the front of the classroom, started rambling on as she had done the last couple days. Entranced, I watched as the flighty woman's hands fluttered around like the insect she was named after, and noticing a small Monarch Butterfly pendant at her throat, I decided my comparison was pretty damn accurate. Barely paying attention to her words, I faintly heard her mention something about three facts, but I tuned it out. Or tried to anyway, until I found those thin little hands pointing at me, fingers waving like an antennae. Refocusing, I stood up slowly, hoping for her to repeat her instructions. Luckily for me, she obliged. “Please tell us three facts about you dearie. The goal of this is to bring us together like a little family!” The fragile woman clapped her hands together, smiling, and that right there spelt my doom. I couldn’t say no to such a happy old face. Cursing my inability to say no, I walked up to the front of the classroom, and faced the desks. Feeling like my stomach was full of butterflies (Seriously, why are there so many butterflies in this room? Like, I get it, your name is MONARCH, just stop rubbing it in) I opened my mouth to talk, but before I could get out a word, Mrs. Monarch cupped a hand around her ear, and said in a breathy tone “Can you speak up Dearie, my hearing isn’t what it used to be.” Shaking my head, I opened my mouth and started “Well, I like…” 

 

“Please speak up Dearie!” The teacher said in a sing-song voice. 

 

Raising my voice to a near shout, I spouted out the first things that came to mind. “I L-LIKE PARROTS, I LIKE...um...S-SOCKS! AND…” tapping my chin, I thought back to this morning. From the way Brittany had reacted, I really didn’t know if it was a good idea to-

 

“SPEAK UP, DEARIE!”

 

Startled, I blurted out “I-I’m g-gay!”

Dead

Silence.

 

Numb, I walked back to my chair, not looking up for one second. Behind me, Mrs. Monarch clapped together her hands with a little cheer. “Why, that is perfect Gale! I’m sure that the entire class is looking forward to seeing the viewpoint of your kind of people in some of the issues we tackle this year! Thank you for sharing, Gale. Who’s next!”

 

Staring at my hands, I didn’t look up. A few aisles over, I heard heavy footsteps walk up to the front of the class. Chancing a look, I saw one of the football players from earlier standing there. “Well, Chris, how nice to see you again this year! I’m sure you have three very interesting facts for us!” Mrs. Monarch was positively beaming, and she dramatically shushed the already silent classroom. “Settle down, settle down and let Chris talk.” As a side note, she added “Remember to speak up, Dearie!” 

 

The huge teen sent a glance my way, then hunched over and scrunched up his face. “H-hi guys! I-I-I’m Chris, and I’m g-gay!” He reached down and untied a shoe, pulling it off to display a grey, sweat stained sock. Struggling to hold back a gasp, I faintly heard him say “I l-l-like socks, and c-c-crying!”

 

The laughter was deafening.

 

Looking down again, I studied my hands, doing my best to ignore the class. From behind and to my left, cries of “I’m g-gay too!” and “I love socks” rang out. Glancing at the teacher, my hope for intervention was quickly killed. The thin woman sat in her chair, humming faintly and wearing a smile on her face. She obviously didn’t care, or didn’t want to bother. Hunching down, I tried my best to disappear and focused on what the hell had just happened. I mean, this kind of reaction? I’d gotten hate before, but this is just ridiculous. Mind whirling, I looked up to see Chris walking back to his seat. With a sigh, I unclenched my hands. Surely they wouldn’t continue, right? He was just instigating. Just a troublemaker, a class clown. He probably didn’t mean it. My thoughts were interrupted by a new voice at the front of the class. “H-hi, I-I-I’m Marten, and I’m g-gay!”

 

I didn’t look up for the next 50 minutes. That way, they couldn’t make fun of my tears too.

 

Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of that hell. Running out of the classroom, I made a beeline for the bathrooms, before remembering how disgusting they had been the one time i stepped foot inside.. Halting, I sighed and went for the library. There was no way in hell that I was going to my next class period. Mind made up, I stepped into the comforting smell of paper and ink with a slight hint of mold. When everyone was out of the hallway, I would go to the nurse's office and tell her I needed to go home. Glancing in one of the windows, I could make out a haggard face and red-tinged eyes. Yeah, she would believe that there was  _ something _ wrong. The second bell rang, and I sank to the ground head between my knees behind one of the bookshelves so that the librarian couldn’t call me out. Maybe just a quick nap, then the nurse's office. I had never felt so defeated before, and the tears threatened to make a full comeback. Closing my eyes, I started to drift off. How could people just...be cruel. Did I do something to deserve this? Would this just blow over? My last coherent thought was of Jade. What would he think about me if he found out…? And just like that, I was dreaming of losing myself in a sea of green.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey look bud, it's not my fault I was out of town for the last few millennium. And I do suck. I suck a lot of things, and you're not one of them, though you wish you were.

There was a lot of chatter in physics, but as usual, I ignored everyone. Kye was at a doctor’s appointment this morning and he wouldn’t be back until lunch time, so I was forced to sit all by myself. I took my usual seat, which was by Gale’s empty desk, and I  assumed that he was using the restroom or was just running a bit late to class. I heard Chris make a snide comment about his absence and I frowned to myself. Why would he care if Gale was here or not? I waited patiently for Gale to walk into the classroom; but when 5 minutes turned into 20 and then an hour, I was disappointed. Even though me and Gale don’t really talk in class, it was nice just to sit by him. He was a little freckled angel. I was a little worried, because he seemed like a good kid. He woulsn’t miss class unless something happened. That’s what I figured at least. The last five minutes of class was just as slow. Kye wasn’t here, Gale wasn’t here, and I was really fucking bored. The bell finally rang and I practically ran out of the classroom. The hallways immediately became loud and crowded, and the cafeteria wasn’t much better. The cafeteria was always loud but this was just insane. There was the same amount of people, yet it seemed like their was twice as many shit heads at school. Seong-Jin, Kye, and Derek were silent when I sat down at the table, and Kye was eyeing me cautiously.

 

“What?” I demanded, watching the strange interactions between my friends. Seong-Jin elbowed Kye and nodded at me. My eyes narrowed when he sighed and angled his body in my direction.

 

“So, it’s about Gale.” He started of tentatively, and I realized that they were trying not to set me off. Whatever they are about to tell me, it wasn’t good news. “And um, well, he had an assignment in English… 3 facts about yourself, the usual stuff. And he said he was gay.” I cringed. That was a _big_ mistake. Was he asking for a beating? Because, that is what’s going to happen.

 

“Is that what all of these people are talking about?” I drawled out, looking at everyone around us.

“Chris was with Gale in English, and Brittany had Home Ec with him, so I’m assuming they’re the ones that told everyone.” Kye went on, just adding more fuel to the fire. Chris was going to regret that, and there wasn’t much I could do about the blonde bitch.

 

“Did he go home after that?” I asked, silently hoping he did. That would also explain why he wasn’t in class. Before I could get an answer though, Brittney sauntered over to our table and if she wasn’t a girl, I would have grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the table. I was fucking _pissed._  

 

“Did you know that Gale is a little faggot?“Brittany asked excitedly, as if we should should be as well. My friends stared at her, angry and furious. Seong-Jin looked like he was about to bust a ball.

 

“You know I’m gay too right?” I said with a raised eyebrow, trying my best to not simultaneously combust right on the spot.

 

She waved her hands around in the air. “You’re not _actually_ gay though. You’re just pretending.”

 

What. The. Actual. _Fuck._ Is she serious? “Listen Barbie, I don’t like you, and I never will. I like dick too much. So you need to get that into your thick, brainless skull of yours before you embarrass yourself more.” I spat at her, hoping that _now_ she would get the fucking memo, and leave me alone.

 

“Jade, don’t be an idiot. There is no way she could embarrass herself more than she is right now.” Kye added with a smirk, watching Brittany as she looked at him with an open mouth. Shots fucking fired. I made gun fingers at Brittany and pretended to shoot her. Her face turned ugly. It was red and distorted as she tried not to throw a temper tantrum. Seriously, how old was she? Three? She spun around still spluttering like an idiot, and walked away. As soon as she was out of earshot, I stood up and told my friends that I was going to go to the library. If Gale didn’t go home, that’s where he would be. It was probably the only safe place at school. As soon as I stepped outside of the cafeteria, I sighed in relief, the noise muffled through the walls. I made my way down the main hallway and towards the front of the school where the library was. When I opened the doors, the librarian looked up at the sound of  footsteps and I waved at her, and she smiled in return. Ms.Styles, was a nice old lady, in her late 60s I think. She was nice to everyone, which broke the whole ‘old librarians are mean’ stereotype. She didn’t care if I was gay, and didn’t judge anyone if someone didn’t fit into the norm. That’s why I liked her so much. She was very laid back.

 

I searched the library quickly, wanting to see if he was here; and if he wasn’t, I wanted to get back to my friends as soon as possible. All of the tables were empty, so I started to go through the aisles. I was almost at the end when I walked by the fantasy section, and got a glimpse of light brown hair. I quickly backtracked, and there he was, sitting on the ground behind a stack of books. He had his head in between his legs, arms covering the back of his head. I approached him, and reached out to him, but hesitated briefly before gently touching his shoulder. As soon as I made contact, Gale jolted up, arms flailing, and I quickly jerked my hand away. He stared up at me in, first in shock then befuddlement. His eyes were red from crying and his cheeks pale.

 

“So I heard what happened this morning. With you, Brittany, and Chris.” I stated, looking down at him.

 

His reaction reminded me of a deer being caught in headlights. “W-what about it?” He stammered and his pale skin somehow became even whiter.

 

“I just wanted you to know that I don’t care, and that I’m gay, so I won’t judge you at all,” I said lamely. “And I also wanted to tell you that you can sit with me and my friends tomorrow at lunch. It’s not a very good idea to be by yourself, especially right now. Ken Doll and his goons could find you.”

 

“Ken Doll?” He echoed in confusion.

 

“Chris. We call him that because he looks like a barbie doll.” I replied, grinning at the nickname me and my friends had given him in middle school.

 

“...are you sure you're gay?” Gale asked suddenly, still looking at the floor.

 

“Um, yes?” I asked skeptically. It was practically common knowledge.

 

Looking down at his hands, a small giggle burst from his mouth. “C-cool.” He managed to gasp out, actually laughing now.

 

“Why do you care?” I asked, smiling. Gales sudden cheerfulness was contagious. How could he cry one second, and then smile and laugh?

 

“Why do you care?” He countered, looking away as soon as he stopped laughing.

 

“Because you don’t deserve all of this bullshit.” I shrugged. His bright blue eyes looked up to meet mine, seeming to search for something. They darted away after a few seconds and he bit his bottom lip, and I poured all of my energy into not blushing or reacting in a way that would be completely inappropriate at school.  I mean, blurting out, _“AYYYYY NOW THAT I KNOW THAT YOU’RE GAY, WANNA FUCK?”_ Is probably not something I should be saying at school, even though that’s what I _wanted_ to say... but I have more tact then that so I kept my mouth shut.

 

“Um… c-could I maybe, uh, join you right now?” Gale asked nervously, hands clenched in his lap as he stared at the floor. Deciding to let my actions speak for me, I grabbed his abandoned backpack that sat beside him, slung it over one shoulder, and started to walk away. This probably isn't going to end well, I thought, but I didn’t say anything. Instead, I glanced back at him and asked, “Well, are you coming or not?”

 

Gale scrambled onto his feet and followed behind me closely. The walk back to the cafeteria was quick, and we reached the cafeteria door. We could hear the noise, and I could see Gale hesitating but I smiled reassuringly at him. I’ve already been through this part. Where I had to stand up for myself and let everyone know that I was independent, that I wasn’t going to let _anyone_ mess with me, just because of my sexuality.  And I didn’t want Gale to go through that alone, crush or no crush. It wasn’t right.

 

I opened the door and we walked inside. Everyone started to point and laugh, whisper and glare, and I knew that Gale was having a hard time not  running away. We barely got back to my friends when Martin fucking Hatch walked up to us, a disgusting glean in his eyes. “So, you’re friends with this weird faggot?”

 

I narrowed my eyes dangerously at him, noting how Gale tried to hide behind me, despite being a few inches taller than me. I knew that when I brought Gale in here, there would be trouble. But I would rather let it happen sooner or later. It was either putting the fire out before it spreads or let it burn the whole house down. Even though I loved fire, I didn’t want to see Gale get pushed into it.

 

“You want to say that again Martin?” I asked, putting my hair up in a small bun. I tilted my head up at him and waited for him to say it again. I knew he would.

 

“Do you like faggots too?” Martin replied harshly. And _bingo_. That’s what I wanted to hear.

 

I heard Derek mumble, “Oh he’s fucked,” before Martin decided he was on a suicidal mission.

He reached for Gale who had ventured out from behind me, and I immediately slapped ihos yaoi hands away before kicking him hard in the stomach. He stumbled back a foot, regained his balance, and then swung a fist at me. Adrenaline rushed through me and a small grin crept onto my face. Everyone was screaming and shouting, goading us on, but it was all just background noise. I quickly dodged the punch, lifted him into the air, and then slammed him into our lunch table. He never saw it coming. Kye and Seong-Jin scrambled away from us as I climbed on top of Chris’s buddy, and started to punch him in the face a few times while he was still out of breath. Blood stained my knuckles, and as soon as I felt the warm liquid I jumped off of Martin. Blood was running from his nose and down the side of his face, dripping onto the table underneath him. Two  police officers pushed students aside, and I calmly let one of them grab my arm tightly and steer me through the crowd. I glared at Chris and his friends as I walked by, but the fucker just grinned.

 

Neither of us were done yet.

 

…

 

“But _mom,_ he _deserved_ it. Martin’s always been an a-,” I glanced at Ariel and my other sister who were listening in. “Butt.” I finished, looking into mom’s eyes smoothly. As soon as mom had walked into the principal's office after being called and notified about the fight, I knew I was screwed. The car ride back home had been silent, and Calvin, Brody, Ariel, and Khloe were waiting in the living room for the drama to start.

 

“It still doesn’t let you punch someone in the face at school!” She replied angrily, her arms crossed over her chest as she stared me down. She was a fierce mom, determined and fiery. She was protective and kind, and she only gave you sympathy if that was what you wanted, and that’s what I like about her. “You have _three days_ in I.S.S, and you’re grounded until next Monday.” She said firmly, in her authoritative tone. I didn’t even bother protesting. I mumbled an apology, then turned around and headed upstairs to my room.   

 

“So, you and Gale huh?” Brody asked with a smirk, elbowing my shoulder as soon as he caught up with me. I looked up at him with a weak glare. I shook my head and Jinx walked up to me, purring as she rubbed her cheek against my leg. Brody shied away from the cat a little but stayed by my side as we walked down the hallway.

 

“What about us?” I asked curiously. I know I wasn’t being _too_ obvious about liking the new kid, but Brody had always been perceptive, taking in every small detail, and it probably didn’t help that he lives with me. He knows me, and sometimes that sucked.

 

“Oh you know, the fact that you beat the shit out of Martin. You’ve never been _that_ violent at school before, and I know it was because he was shit talking about Gale. You know Chris is going to go after you now right?” Brody told me, as if I didn’t already know that.

 

I shrugged indifferently. “It’s about time someone fucked him up. Cecil should have done it last year.” Cecil was a freshmen in college, and a part of my friend group. He hated Chris with a _passion_ , but when he transferred to our school, they told him that if was in one more incident, then he would have been expelled, and then this his parents would have shipped off to military school. He was the dad of the group, and Kye was the mom. I was the troublesome kid, Derek was the shy one, and Seong-Jin was a mix. We were each other's second family… and they my third.

 

“Just be careful Jade. We both know how crazy Chris’s games can get.” Brody told me before leaving me standing alone in my room, Jinx still purring in my arms.

 

Except this was not a game.


End file.
